Hi guys!
Thank you so much for the story alerts! It's really nice to see that you like the story :)

Sorry for not posting sooner. RL was busy... So here comes another update and in the next chapter there will be some lemons ;)

Sookie looked by the window and stared at the trees of the woods. She thought of Eric fighting the rogues and it made her sad that she couldn't even help him. She moved back in the room and tried to find something to keep her mind busy.

When night arrived, Sookie went checking on Freyda. She was still very weak and rested in the darkness of her room.

Sookie went downstairs. It felt so strange to wander in the rooms which were almost identical to her old home.

She took some clothes that needed to be sewed. She sat on the chair in front of the fireplace and started to sew in silence.

The door opened and Sookie stared at the figure coming inside. It was Pam who clearly noticed the disappointment on Sookie's face.

"Don't worry Sookie, Eric always comes back. He's often gone for several days, but he always comes back home."

"Thank you Pam" Sookie smiled at her warmly.

"I bought some blood for Freyda." Sookie took the bottles and went upstairs to Freyda's bedroom.

When Freyda finished the last bottle, she stared at Sookie.

"Love is such a beautiful feeling." She said. "You're in love, my dear. I'm old but not blind."

Sookie exhaled and sat down beside her bed.

"Tell me everything" She added.

"Have you ever been in love?" Sookie finally asked.

"Of course!" Freyda exclaimed. "I still am"

"Really?" Sookie was surprised by her answer.

"But between you and me, we cannot expect anything from men. On the other side, a young heart is so delicious." She said, her fangs extended.

"You're disgusting." Sookie told her.

Freyda smiled and added "This little heart down there seems delicious."

A siren suddenly started to ring out outside. Sookie stood up

"What is it?"

"The war is coming closer and spies have been sent by the High Pythoness. She's looking after the Castle. Hopefully our good fire is protecting us from those monsters."

Sookie left the room and went downstairs. She checked if Cataliades needed more wood and finally went to her new bedroom.

Two days passed and Eric had not come back yet. Sookie tried to hide her concern and not to think of him too much, so she busied herself with cleaning the castle and walking in the mountains. She loved the new place he had given her. She enjoyed the beauty of the landscape, the fresh air, the bright colors, and she liked to spend some time alone in his little wooden house that she had decorated with the wild flowers.

During day, the Dead Castle was silent but at night, they could hear the Vampires fight in town, especially if the door's lock was on Shreveport. Hopefully just as Freyda had told Sookie, Cataliades was protecting them. Freyda was getting much better but still looked like an old woman. On the other side, Sookie had noticed that her face had slowly returned back, even though she wasn't completely healed.

On the third day, in the afternoon, Sookie was in her old garden, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. She still couldn't believe that Eric had used the magic from Cataliades to move the Dead Castle in her old house. And even if the little tea house wasn't there anymore, she could still enjoy the pleasure of being home.

As she was watering the flowers, Sookie was surprised to hear the motor of a car approaching the house. She turned around and saw her brother getting out of the car.

"Sookie!" he came to her and hugged her tight.

"Jason" she whispered and hugged him back, feeling tears in her eyes.

He looked down at her. "What happened to your face?"

She shrugged "Nothing, just a little allergy. Do you want something to eat?" she asked him just like in the old days.

"Na… it's okay. I just came to see how you were doing. I was worried about you."

"Come in, I'll give you something to drink."

They entered the house and Freyda was sitting in front of the fire, resting. Jason eyed her suspiciously and looked around. "It has changed since last time I was here." He told Sookie as he put his bag on the table.

Sookie shrugged as she poured him some lemonade. "Just a few things."

Jason emptied the glass and smiled. "Well I see you're okay, I can go back now."

Sookie stared at him surprised of his sudden change of mind and for the first time she tried to listen to his thoughts but they were blurred.

"It was nice seeing you sis" They hugged and Sookie followed him to his car.

As he left, she felt like they'd become strangers. She walked back inside and closed the door, turning the lock on to Shreveport. Somewhere in her mind, she thought that it would put some distance with her brother. As she moved in the room, she saw Freyda searching in her brother's bag.

"Freyda! What are you doing?"

Freyda showed her a cookie and sniffed it.

"A poisoned cookie." She threw it in the fire. "Your brother has been send by the High Pythoness."

"What? How's that possible?"

"He was glamoured to find you. She used an old potion as a truth serum for you to eat."

Freyda searched back in the bag and found a cigar that she lightened and smoke, sitting back in the chair in front of the fireplace. "Me alive, the High Pythoness will never have Eric." She whispered, staring at the flames.

As evening came, the room was filled with thick black smoke. Sookie coughed while blowing some air on Cataliades. The flames had turned mostly into smoke and ashes.

"What's happening? Cataliades does not light up" Sookie noticed concerned. She turned around

"Freyda can't you just throw that thing away? It's disgusting and I'm suffocating!"

"You won't deprive an old woman of her small pleasures, would you?" Freyda answered blowing smoke.

Pam appeared in the room "Has this place turned to hell yet?"

"Please Pam, could you open the windows?"

Pam shrugged "yes sure, whatever"

"If I were you, I wouldn't do it." Freyda said, smoking her cigar. "In his state, Cataliades doesn't have all his powers and he won't be able to prevent the Creatures from entering the Castle."

Sookie gasped and ran to Pam "Close the window Pam!"

As she stood by the window, Sookie noticed figures moving in the streets towards the Castle. She heard Freyda's fangs click and she looked up at her.

"The Queen's Vampires" she hissed. "They found us."

Sookie's heart pounded fast. She moved to the door and as she heard the steps echo in the street, she turned quickly the lock on the door. She looked at Pam who was fixing the darkness in search of potential threat and Sookie slowly opened the door. The familiar scent of Gran's flower calmed her and she stepped outside.

The garden was silent; the wind softly blew around her. But Sookie noticed that it was too silent. She turned around, staring at the darkness. She knew there was something strange, she could feel it. She closed her eyes, and just as she did with her brother, she searched with her mind. She was surprised to feel a group of voids. It wasn't like Humans or even like her brother's blurred mind. Fear started to envelop her as she noticed figures approaching the house. They were Vampires.

She gasped and as she turned around to run back to the Castle, something suddenly violently pushed her down on the lawn. She heard a growl close to her ear and she knew a Vampire had caught her.

Just as she thought the Vampire was going to bite her, the weight of the Vampire on her was moved away from her. She looked back and saw the Vampire fight with a form moving too fast for her to notice. The Vampires were killed one after another, blood splashing everywhere.

She stood up and just as another Vampire ran to her, the form flew towards them. The rogue Vampire got decapitated before it could even react.

Sookie was mute from fear. The form in front of her was now immobile and she ran to it.

"Eric!" She hugged him tight even though he was covered with blood and his skin burned.

"Forgive me Sookie for not coming sooner, I had too many enemies to fight." He whispered, caressing her hair, then her cheek. "My pretty Sookie" he whispered as he noticed her beautiful face.

"Eric" Sookie repeated, staring back at him with wonder and relief.

He leant down and kissed her. She responded relieved to be finally close to him.

Eric broke the kiss, hearing other Vampires approaching, and took Sookie by the hand, walking back inside the Castle.

"We never get bored." Pam said greeting Eric who went straight to the fireplace.

"Cataliades hold on, it's going to be alright" he said as he carefully blew directly on him. The smoke disappeared and the flame grew bigger, revealing the form of the Demon.

Eric then went gently to Freyda and bowed

"My Dear Freyda, is this a present from the High Pythoness that you are smoking?"

"She tried to poison me!" Cataliades exclaimed.

"She threw in the flames a poisoned cake that the High Pythoness tried to use against me." Sookie explained.

"Eric… "Freyda said, ignoring Sookie and Cataliades. "I'd like to have a conversation, just you and me."

"With pleasure Freyda, but now isn't the right time." Eric said courteously as he took the cigar from her hand.

"That's strange; you're not trying to run from me. That's the first time." Freyda pointed out to him and stood up before disappearing in her room.

So tell me what you think :)